Gillingham Dorset Post Office Directory, 1855

GILLINGHAM is a town and very extensive parish and liberty on the river Stour, at the northern extremity of the county, and stated to be one of the largest in it, in the Union of Shaftesbury, from which place it is distant 4½ miles west, 6½ miles from Wincanton and 105 from London by road. Friday is the market day, but it is only nominally so, the market having declined. This parish includes the chapelry of Bourton.

It is rich in pasture grounds and excellent drainage, and abounds in dairies, the produce of which is a principal source of wealth to the inhabitants. Here are flour mills, an extensive brewery, a silk mill, rope and twine factories, sack and sacking and flax mills, giving employment to many hands. Bricks and tiles are made here.

The church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, has been rebuilt within the last few years, and consists of a nave, two aisles and a chancel, the latter handsomely decorated; it is a beautiful structure with an organ, lofty tower, and a set of 6 musical bells, in the patronage of the Bishop of Salisbury, in his diocese, and in the arch-deaconry of Dorset; the incumbent is the Rev. Henry Deane, B.C.L. There are chapels for the Baptists, Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists.

There is a Free school for educating 65 boys, who are permitted to remain four years; and near to the church is a National school. A building of large dimensions has lately been erected at the expense of Mr. Edward Neave, one of the Society of Friends, called the Temperance Hall, in which lectures are given on temperance and morality.

Here are some very excellent charities. The town is lighted with gas, but destitute of pavement.

In the year 1046 a sanguinary battle was fought between Edward Ironside and Canute in this neighbourhood, in which Canute was defeated with great slaughter.

The Marquis of Westminster is lord of the manor. Fairs are held for cattle on Trinity Monday, and pleasure on 12 ^th September. The liberty has its own coroner. Population in 1851, 3,775; acreage, 7,527.

Ladborn Green is a ¼ of a mile north; Peacemarsh, 1 mile north-west; Milton-upon-Stour, Little Marsh and Perston, 1½ miles north-west; Burnt Mill, 1½ miles north; Ledden Bridge, quarter of a mile south-east; Mageston or Majeston, 1 mile south; Accliff Mill, 1 mile south-west; Ham Common, Park Farm and Coal Street, 1 mile south-east; Thorn Grove and Wyke Marsh, 1 mile south-west; Langham, 2 miles south-west; Hill and Boughridge, 1 mile north; Bengerville, 2 miles north; Slaughtergate and Longbarrow, 1 mile west; Quarr, 2½ miles west; Bogley, 2 miles south-west; Redmoor, 2½ miles north; Wood House Cross, 2½ miles west; Baily Bottom, 3 miles west. Newbury, Whistley, Edix Hill, Mapperton Hill, Lock's Lane, Wyndham Culvers, Rollsbridge, Woolhouse and Waterloo are other places.

GENTRY

Barter Mr. Robert, Ham common

Bell John William, esq

Bell William Read, esq

Butt Mrs

Deane Rev. Henry B.C.L. (rector)

Dunn Rev. Joseph

Erle Rev. Walter

Freame Robert Sadler, esq

Hyde Rev. Frederick, B.A. Newbury

Kiddle Mrs

Le Hardy Mrs

Light Mr. Richard, Newbury

Miles Edwin Josiah, esq

Miles Henry, esq

Rogers Rev. James Charles Warrington, B.A. Newbury

Webb Mr. Newbury

Welch John, esq. White Cottage

TRADERS

Bealing George, shoemaker, Newbury

Bell & Freame, solicitors and agents to the Union fire and life assurance company & the Law Union fire and life assurance company

Benjafield Joseph, cattle dealer

Benjafield Josiah, dairyman

Bowles Charles, plumber, glazier and painter, Newbury

Brown James, beer retailer and shoemaker

Brown James, beer retailer, Newbury

Bullen Ann (Mrs), shopkeeper, Milton

Butler John, farmer, Mageston

Butler William, carrier

Butt Jane (Mrs) shopkeeper, Milton

Card Thomas, collector of assessed taxes

Card Thomas, farmer

Churchill John, farmer and beer retailer

Clark William, smith, Milton

Coke William, farmer, Woolhouse farm

Collis Ann (Mrs), shopkeeper

Collis Jane (Miss), milliner & dressmaker

Coombes John, farmer, Whistley farm

Coombes Joseph jun., tallow chandler

Cox Isaiah, shoemaker

Cross Sarah (Miss), dressmaker

Doggerell Thomas, dairyman, Ham common

Dowding Charles, farmer, Langham

Dowding George, farmer, Lawn farm

Dowding Thomas, farmer, Thorngrove

Dowding William, butcher

Down Silas, timber merchant, Newbury

Down William, butcher

Dunn John, carrier

Dunn Shadrach, corn dealer, Bogley

Edgar Silvester, watchmaker, jeweller, stationer & postmaster

Edney Charles, veterinary surgeon

Edwards John, saddler & harness maker, Newbury

Edwards Thomas, smith

Edwards William, wheelwright

Flower Ambrose, beer retailer & mason

Furmedge William Loxley, Red Lion commercial inn & posting house & coal merchant

Galpin William, shoemaker

Gibbs Richard, inland revenue officer

Goldsbrough Robert, Phoenix commercial inn & posting house, maltster & brewer

Gray Leah (Miss), milliner

Gray Richard, tailor

Green John, smith

Green Stephen, hairdresser

Green Thomas, shoemaker

Green Thomas jun., shoemaker

Hallett Richard, plumber & painter

Hand William, butcher

Hannen & Thompson, millers & silk throwsters

Hayter Harry, wheelwright, Milton

Hayward John, tailor

Herridge Mary (Mrs), grocer & tea dealer

Hibberd & Son, linen & wool drapers

Hillier William, smith, Peas Marsh

Honeyfield James, butcher

Honeyfield John, farmer, Park farm

Hull James, coffee house

Hull James, manager of gas works

Hull John, coal dealer, Milton

Hull Thomas, farmer, Huntingford

Kaines Henry, solicitor

Knapton Azariah, farmer, Locks lane

Lampard Charles, farmer, Edix hill

Lawrence Ann (Mrs), grocer

Light George & Henry, carpenters & timber merchants, Milton

Light John, tailor

Light Joseph, shopkeeper, Newbury

Lloyd George, dairyman

Lodder William, coach builder

Lush Isabella (Miss), milliner, Newbury

Lush James, shopkeeper

Lydford Richard, organist of parish church

Lydford Thomas, wheelwright

Maggs Uriah & Joseph, sack & sacking manufacturers & flax spinners

Maidment Soloman, farmer, Huntingford

Maidment Thomas, Queens Head inn & brewer

Martin James, thatcher

Martin Thomas, baker & shopkeeper

Matthews Charles, shopkeeper, Milton

Matthews Frederick, farmer

Matthews Thomas, farmer, Milton farm

Matthews Joseph, brewer & maltster, Wyke brewery

Meadon John, farmer

Mells Edward, farmer, Waterloo farm

Miles & son, surgeons

Miles Joseph, 'Grosvenor Arms,' gunsmith & tinplate worker

Miles Josiah, farmer

Morgan Charles, farmer, Langham

Newman Silas, farmer, Wyke farm

Parfitt John, farmer, Wyndham farm

Parratt Charles, wheelwright

Parratt George, farmer, Huntingford

Parratt James, farmer

Parsons John, mason

Peters Henry, rope & twine maker

Peters Stephen, rope & twine manufacturer

Phripp William, shopkeeper

Rabbits Charles, farmer, Langham

Rabbits Edward, dairyman

Read Andrew, cooper, Newbury

Read Bethia (Miss) milliner

Read James, master of Free grammar school

Read Jonathan, tailor

Read Nathaniel, whitesmith

Rose John, mason

Sheppard Jas., master of Free grammar school

Sheppard James, parish clerk

Sheppard William, farmer & miller

Shute Jonathan, farmer

Silverthorn Eliza (Mrs), brick & tile maker, Newbury

Stone Perunnah (Mrs), baker

Stone William, farmer

Storey & Thomas, bankers (Edward Neave, agent)

Taylor Eliza (Mrs), farmer, Bugley farm

Taylor George, farmer

Trim George, farmer, Rectory farm

Vanner George, linen draper, grocer & leather cutter

Wear John, farmer, Mageston

Welch George, farmer, Mageston

Westover George, farmer, Bugley

White William, farmer, Little Marsh

Wiles John, builder & grocer

Williams Charles, bootmaker

Williams John, sexton & ropemaker

POST OFFICE: Silvester Edgar, postmaster. London letters arrive ½ past 8 a.m. and are dispatched 45 minutes past 4pm. Letters from Shaftesbury arrive at 5pm and are dispatched at ½ past 8 a.m. Money orders granted and paid.

 

BANKERS:

Storey & Thomas Banking Company (Edward Neave, agent); draw on Barnards and Dimsdale, London.

 

INSURANCE AGENTS:

Law Union Fire & Life, Bell & Freame

Royal Farmers' General, Fire, Life & Hailstorm, James Read

Sun Fire & Life, Edward Neave

Union Fire & Life, Bell & Freame

Gas Works, James Hull, manager

PUBLIC OFFICERS:

Coroner of the liberty of Gillingham, William Read Bell, esq

Master for taking Affidavits in Chancery, John Williams Bell

Relieving Officer for Shaftesbury Union, John Meadon

Registrar for Births & Deaths for Gillingham District, John Meadon

Steward of the Manor of Gillingham, William Read Bell

PUBLIC SCHOOLS:

Free (for 65 boys), James Read, headmaster

National, Miss Elizabeth Brown, mistress

COACHES to:

BATH - Wellington, from the 'Red Lion,' Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 11 morning

MERE - Telegraph, from Phoenix inn, daily, Sunday excepted

POOLE - Wellington, from the 'Red Lion,' Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 3 afternoon

SHAFTESBURY - Telegraph from the Phoenix inn, daily, Sunday excepted, 10 morning. Wellington from the Red Lion inn, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 3 afternoon

WINCANTON - Telegraph from the Phoenix inn, daily, Sunday excepted. ¼ past 6 afternoon

CARRIERS to:

BATH - Dore, Mondays

BLANDFORD - Ings, Tuesday & Friday

BOURTON - Ings, Thursday

BRISTOL - Ings, Thursday

FROME - Ings, Saturday

POOLE - Ings, Monday

SHAFTESBURY - Butler, Saturday; Ings, Monday

WINCANTON - Butler, Wednesday